DCA chasing debt for company we wound up a year ago

Vickicb

Can anyone give some advice?

My OH ran a company from our address for a while, but ceased trading 2 1/2 years ago and officially wound it up a year ago. It was a Limited company, with him as MD and myself as Company Secretary.

He was in dispute with Cable & Wireless regarding the amount owed on a service they were providing to the company, they kept agreeing over the telephone that the amount was wrong but never managed to get the correct bill out to him. In the end he told them the company no longer existed and directed them to the people who were winding up the company. He assumed the debt had be settled by them.

Today we have had a letter addressed to the company name (OH name not on it) from "Direct Route Insight" claiming the debt is now £1648.93, accruing interest daily and a court date is imminent. OH says not to worry as it is not our debt personally and he'll sort it out by calling them tomorrow.

Should he call them? I don't want him admitting liability for this debt over the phone if he doesn't have to. It was a disputed amount to begin with and has doubled from the original bill.

Should we just return the letter saying the company has ceased trading from our address?

Any advice appreciated!

rog2

Do you have a local 'business link' that can advise you? As far as I understand, directors of a limited company can only be held responsible for debts up to their 'share' of the company.

Vickicb

That's not a bad idea, thanks.

Problem is between OH and me we did own all the shares in the company, but this debt was disputed, passed on the the people winding up the company, and we thought it was dealt with by them. We'd have paid the bill if it was correct in the first place 2 years ago! Now worried we'll be liable for a couple of grand instead of a couple of hundred.

KARENW_3

If the company was formally liquidated then, as I understand it any creditors need to submit their claim to the liquidators at the time. There is an advertisement made when the company is placed into liquidation for creditors to do this. As I understand it the only option if the Company want to pursue this debt is for them to apply to the court to have the company restored to the register. Given the low amount owed it is not worth them doing this. I would send the letter back saying company dissolved and the date. Ps I work for a large FTSE 100 company and liquidate all our dormant companies so I am sure this info is correct

Vickicb

Thanks Karen, that's what I was inclined to do, send it back to them. I think they might be trying it on....